Julius Caesar: Difference between revisions

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In 60 BC, Caesar, [[Marcus Licinius Crassus|Crassus]], and [[Pompey]] formed the [[First Triumvirate]], an informal political alliance that dominated [[Roman politics]] for several years. Their attempts to amass political power were opposed by many in the [[Roman Senate|Senate]], among them [[Cato the Younger]] with the private support of [[Cicero]]. Caesar rose to become one of the most powerful politicians in the Roman Republic through a string of military victories in the [[Gallic Wars]], completed by 51&nbsp;BC, which greatly extended Roman territory. During this time he both [[Caesar's invasions of Britain|invaded Britain]] and [[Caesar's Rhine bridges|built a bridge across the river Rhine]]. These achievements and the support of his veteran army threatened to eclipse the standing of Pompey, who had realigned himself with the Senate after the [[Battle of Carrhae|death of Crassus]] in 53&nbsp;BC. With the [[Gallic Wars]] concluded, the Senate ordered Caesar to step down from his military command and return to Rome. In 49 BC, Caesar openly defied the Senate's authority by [[crossing the Rubicon]] and marching towards Rome at the head of an army.<ref>{{cite book |last=Keppie |first=Lawrence |chapter=The approach of civil war |title=The Making of the Roman Army: From Republic to Empire |publisher=[[University of Oklahoma Press]] |location=Norman, OK |date=1998 |page=102 |isbn=978-0-8061-3014-9}}</ref> This began [[Caesar's Civil War|Caesar's civil war]], which he won, leaving him in a position of near-unchallenged power and influence in 45 BC.